Results 32,261-32,280 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Job Creation (15 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Supporting balanced regional development is a core goal of Enterprise Ireland. In 2019, EI client companies reported a record high of 221,895 people in employment. 16, 971 new jobs were created, presenting a net gain of 4,706 new jobs when losses are taken into account. 65 per cent of this employment is located outside of Dublin. In 2019, 9,301 people were employed in the 194 Enterprise...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Enterprise Data (15 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The table below shows employment by broad sector in County Kildare in agency client (IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta) companies over the period 2015-2019. Table 1: Kildare, Agency Client Employment by Broad Sector, 2015-2019 Sector 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Manufacturing 14,010 ...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: IDA Ireland (15 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: County Meath continues to be a strong performer in terms of attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) with 250 net new jobs added by IDA client companies in 2019. In addition to the general support that IDA provides to client firms through advice and expertise on investing in Ireland, the Agency is authorised by my Department to provide a range of particular financial supports in the form...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Legislative Measures (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: There is no statutory employment right to a refund of expenses in respect of light, heat and waste incurred by employees working from home. Expenses/ allowances are not covered in Irish employment legislation and would be a matter for negotiation between employer/employee except where provided for in collective agreements. In cases where an employer makes payments towards the expenses...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I am keenly aware that publicans are making a massive sacrifice to protect their communities and I am committed to ensuring that the Government will offer as much assistance and support as possible. We know the move to Level 5 will have a significant impact on businesses. In order to reduce transmission of this disease quickly we are making this decision now so we can return to a lower level...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I received a representation from Chartered Accountants Ireland on 22 July 2020 regarding the question of a legislative amendment to extend the six year rule for the cycle of quality assurance reviews of statutory auditors and audit firms and a response has issued from my office. In summary, in view of the importance of the review function in terms of safeguarding small businesses, the...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and the Labour Court are offices under the aegis of my Department. Both the WRC and the Labour Court are statutorily independent in the exercise of their quasi-judicial functions and I as Minister cannot intervene when they exercise those functions. In common with the Courts Service and other quasi-judicial bodies the offices of the WRC and Labour...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Tax Rebates (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Up to 2011, the Redundancy Payments Scheme provided a rebate of 60% to employers who made statutory redundancy payments to their employees. In Budgets 2012 and 2013, the Government first reduced and then abolished the rebate payment. The rebate to employers was paid regardless of a company’s financial situation and ability to pay, and ongoing commitment to the Irish economy, thus...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Appointments to State Boards (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Labour Court is an independent statutory office under the aegis of my Department. The Court is the court of last resort in industrial relations disputes and since the enactment of the Workplace Relations Act 2015, is the appellate body for appeals arising from decisions of Adjudication Officers of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) under employment rights legislation. The...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Workplace Relations Commission (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) is an independent statutory office under the aegis of my Department. The WRC’s broad mandate includes the inspection of employment rights compliance, the provision of information, adjudicating on complaints under employment protection, equality and industrial relations legislation and the provision of mediation, conciliation, facilitation and...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Health and Safety Authority (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The additional budget allocation of €4m to the Health and Safety Authority is an additional pay allocation to increase the staff available to the Authority, including the recruitment of additional inspectors, to deliver on its mandate. The 2021 funding being made available to the Health and Safety Authority will enable the Authority to assist businesses to comply with workplace...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The Return to Work Safely Protocol (Protocol) was launched on 9May 2020 and came into effect on the 18May 2020 to coincide with Phase 1 of the Government roadmap to ease COVID-19 restrictions and commence the reopening of the economy. Between 18th May 2020, and 7thOctober 2020 the Health and Safety Authority carried out 3,855 COVID-19 compliance checks. The table below shows...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Apprenticeship Programmes (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: My Department supports the development of the apprenticeship system on an ongoing basis as a means of providing for the broad range of skills needed for the growing economy. As part of a longer term vision for apprenticeships, the Government has committed to the publication of an updated Apprenticeship Action Plan to look at new ways of structuring, funding and promoting apprenticeships,...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Health and Safety Authority (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: The staff of the Health and Safety Authority is comprised of both administration and inspector grades. The inspector grades comprise of Grade I (senior inspectors) as well as GII and GIII inspectors. Inspectors operate across all mandates of the Health and Safety Authority including occupational health and safety and market surveillance of products and chemicals. At the end of August...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Departmental Offices (20 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Accommodation for my Department and its Offices is provided by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in buildings which are either State owned or leased by the OPW on our behalf. The Department and its Offices are located in 11 locations across the country, six of which are in Dublin and five regionally. Typically, the Department and its Offices are in shared accommodation, either with other...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Employment Rights (21 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Firstly, I wish to acknowledge the difficult time that the travel industry is currently facing.  Many sectors and industries have been badly affected during the emergency period and my sincere thoughts are with all employers and employees in these situations at this time.  Much of our focus since March was to try to ensure that employees were not laid-off and did not lose that all...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Employment Rights (21 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: From the outset of Covid-19, many employers have taken the initiative, in line with subsequent requests from the Government, to be as flexible as possible in allowing staff to manage their family responsibilities. Employers have a general duty of care towards their workers and that care is often expressed in the form of negotiation, compromise and flexibility. It is for the employer to...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: I empathise particularly with businesses in the tourism sector that have suffered devastating consequences as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland has been working with the tourism and hospitality industry throughout the pandemic to help businesses navigate the crisis. The Restart Grant Plus for B&Bs is an additional...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: All employers must comply with the Return to Work Safely Protocol which is designed to put measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the lead Agency in relation to oversight and compliance with the Protocol.  It ensures compliance through a range of measures including advice, guidance, inspection and...

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Health and Safety Authority (21 Oct 2020)

Leo Varadkar: Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 employers have specific duties to ensure the safety, health and welfare at work of all employees. These duties include the managing and conducting of all work activities to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of those employees. Employees themselves also have duties and responsibilities under the 2005 Act and...